Madrid | Jan 13, 2026 | GEOKHUB Spain’s government has approved draft legislation aimed at curbing the misuse of artificial intelligence–generated deepfakes and strengthening consent requirements for the use of images, voices and likenesses, as European countries step up efforts to regulate harmful AI content.
The proposed law raises protections for minors, sets 16 as the minimum age for consenting to the use of one’s image, and restricts the reuse of online photos, videos and AI-generated voices without explicit permission.
Justice Minister Félix Bolaños said sharing personal images on social media does not grant others unrestricted rights to repurpose them elsewhere.
“Posting family or personal content online does not mean it can be freely reused in other contexts,” Bolaños said.
Limits on AI-Generated Likenesses
The legislation directly addresses artificial intelligence, declaring it unlawful to generate or use a person’s image or voice through AI for advertising or commercial purposes without consent.
However, the bill makes allowances for creative, satirical or fictional content involving public figures, provided the material is clearly labelled as AI-generated to avoid deception.
Spain’s move aligns with broader European Union efforts to regulate deepfakes. Under upcoming EU rules, member states will be required to criminalise non-consensual sexual deepfakes by 2027.
Rising Scrutiny of AI Content
The draft law comes amid growing global concern over AI tools that can produce sexually explicit or manipulative imagery. Spanish authorities earlier this month asked prosecutors to assess whether certain AI-generated content could constitute child exploitation material. Prosecutors said the request is currently under review.
The bill will now undergo consultations before returning to the cabinet for final approval and submission to parliament.
